Scroll compressors are finding increased use in home and office air-conditioning units. In a typical scroll compressor, an orbiting scroll element is moved in an orbital path relative to a fixed scroll element. Each of the scroll elements have a scroll wrap. The scroll wraps of the scroll elements interact to form compression pockets to compress a refrigerant gas.
Normally, the orbiting scroll element is driven by a rotating drive shaft through an offset drive. The drive shaft is normally part of an electric motor which operates within the sealed enclosure of the compressor. The rotation of the drive shaft is typically utilized to circulate a lubricant to various portions of the scroll compressor, with the lubricant recycled by gravity to a sump within the compressor.
As the lubricant is circulated through the compressor, it picks up debris left over either from the manufacturing process or generated by wear of the compressor. It is desirable to remove the debris from the lubricant flow. Conventional filters are impractical as the compressor is permanently hermetically sealed. Magnets have been used to separate debris from the lubricant. Bristol Compressors, Inc. utilizes a small disk magnet in the bottom of their reciprocating compressors. Placement of the magnet is at random. However, a need still exists for an enhanced debris separation mechanism to ensure the lubricant in the compressor does not damage the compressor components.